30, HOME FREE AND UNEMPLOYED
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South Island, New Zealand, Part I
It seems that more often than not the stars must align in order to have a stress free travel to and from anywhere, I guess that's what keeps things interesting. I left the Great Barrier Island on the same small plane I came in on, the extra $50 for the trip was well worth it for me not to be sea sick for 4 hours. The weather had been pretty crappy and I was unsure if I would be able to get off the island in time for another flight down to the south island but held my breath and went for it. The idea was that I would fly back to Auckland then straight to Christchurch in the south island. My flight to Auckland was perfect, I checked in for my flight to Christchurch only to find out I booked it a month later on accident and to fix it was going to cost me $500. I slept in Auckland and got a bus to Wellington in the am, after the 12 hour bus ride I was stuck in Wellington as the weather was really bad and the ferries were backed up for a couple days. I found a cheap flight in the morning and flew out that afternoon and landed in Christchurch. Sometimes the lack of planning will bite you in the arsh, everything was booked up so I got a small cabin in a caravan park for $75 and then found a really ghetto hostel outside the city for the next 3 nights. The plan was to buy a van of some sort and hit the south island hard. By the 3rd day I had a 1994 Toyota Estima kitted out for a backpacker and a new German travel mate named Andy. We threw down our cash and hit the road. It felt great to have freedom in our own van again, we took the 1 out of Christchurch, hit Kaikoura and decided to head inland towards Hanmer Springs off of rt 20. We boondocked the first night in a unseen driveway off the highway.
In the am we drove back to town and filled our petrol and were off again. On the road again we took the 7 into Springs Junction then the 65 North, 6 East into Murchinson where we took care of the van's rego and restocked our beers. Proceeding on the 6 to the 63 we stopped and saw lake Rotoiti, it was stunning. There was a bunch of campsites there for about $10 per person but found a free one just outside the park, it even had a vault toilet!
Breakfast in the morning included eggs and toast with raspberry jam, tea with some local honey. We packed the van and headed out for a hike. There are a few good hikes in the Nelson lakes region so we opted for Mount Robert via Pinchgut track, stopping at the Kea ski hut and bushline hut on the way. Trans-versing the switch backs down the mountain we finished through paddy's track and back to the car, the hike was about 8 kms, enough for me as I will be sore for the next couple days. The hike wore me out but I felt accomplished to get out and get some tramping in.
It seems that more often than not the stars must align in order to have a stress free travel to and from anywhere, I guess that's what keeps things interesting. I left the Great Barrier Island on the same small plane I came in on, the extra $50 for the trip was well worth it for me not to be sea sick for 4 hours. The weather had been pretty crappy and I was unsure if I would be able to get off the island in time for another flight down to the south island but held my breath and went for it. The idea was that I would fly back to Auckland then straight to Christchurch in the south island. My flight to Auckland was perfect, I checked in for my flight to Christchurch only to find out I booked it a month later on accident and to fix it was going to cost me $500. I slept in Auckland and got a bus to Wellington in the am, after the 12 hour bus ride I was stuck in Wellington as the weather was really bad and the ferries were backed up for a couple days. I found a cheap flight in the morning and flew out that afternoon and landed in Christchurch. Sometimes the lack of planning will bite you in the arsh, everything was booked up so I got a small cabin in a caravan park for $75 and then found a really ghetto hostel outside the city for the next 3 nights. The plan was to buy a van of some sort and hit the south island hard. By the 3rd day I had a 1994 Toyota Estima kitted out for a backpacker and a new German travel mate named Andy. We threw down our cash and hit the road. It felt great to have freedom in our own van again, we took the 1 out of Christchurch, hit Kaikoura and decided to head inland towards Hanmer Springs off of rt 20. We boondocked the first night in a unseen driveway off the highway.
In the am we drove back to town and filled our petrol and were off again. On the road again we took the 7 into Springs Junction then the 65 North, 6 East into Murchinson where we took care of the van's rego and restocked our beers. Proceeding on the 6 to the 63 we stopped and saw lake Rotoiti, it was stunning. There was a bunch of campsites there for about $10 per person but found a free one just outside the park, it even had a vault toilet!
Breakfast in the morning included eggs and toast with raspberry jam, tea with some local honey. We packed the van and headed out for a hike. There are a few good hikes in the Nelson lakes region so we opted for Mount Robert via Pinchgut track, stopping at the Kea ski hut and bushline hut on the way. Trans-versing the switch backs down the mountain we finished through paddy's track and back to the car, the hike was about 8 kms, enough for me as I will be sore for the next couple days. The hike wore me out but I felt accomplished to get out and get some tramping in.
South Island, New Zealand, Part II
After the hike I made a quick PB&J and we were off again. *Side note* Germans and other foreigners have no idea about peanut butter and jelly, seems so obvious to me that it's the best and easiest sandwich in the world. They think it is discussing and would never think of mixing the two, they are missing out if you ask me. Anyhow, back on the 63 we drove through Blenheim, on to the 1 again and took a road east towards the ocean in Tuamarina. After a short break down on a dirt back road consisting of the auxiliary battery arching out on the hood, a quick fix and we found ourselves on an epic free campground in Robin Hood Bay.
The morning was dreary and a mist of rain in the air, I talked with a photographer from England a little while and got some pointers. After breakfast we followed the dirt road through to Picton. Picton is where the ferry lands from Wellington and I was surprised that it was a really cool little town. Proceeding west on the 6 we stopped in Nelson. After gathering groceries we met up with a friend I made on the bus ride from Auckland at a pub called Sprig and Fern. The beer was great and brewed locally, after a couple we found a campsite next to the river behind a dairy farm in Tahunanui. Living the dream in my van down by the river! We held off for breakfast in the morning and proceeded up into Marahau and cooked a mean one in a backpackers car park near Abel Tasman Park.
After breakfast we were back on the 60 and took a dirt road called Cahaan road, it was long and ended at a campsite with toilets. There was a local there and we chatted with her about the hikes. We decided to give it a go and hiked to Harwoods hole and also the lookout. The hike was really neat with big algae covered boulders and rotting wood. At the end was a huge vertical shaft cave which is New Zealands largest, also there is a lookout over the valley, both jaw dropping scenes.
Finishing up the day we hiked back and drove out on the 60 through Takaka, an obvious hitchhikers paradise and hippy town. We found a pull off near Motupipi and crashed for the night.
After the hike I made a quick PB&J and we were off again. *Side note* Germans and other foreigners have no idea about peanut butter and jelly, seems so obvious to me that it's the best and easiest sandwich in the world. They think it is discussing and would never think of mixing the two, they are missing out if you ask me. Anyhow, back on the 63 we drove through Blenheim, on to the 1 again and took a road east towards the ocean in Tuamarina. After a short break down on a dirt back road consisting of the auxiliary battery arching out on the hood, a quick fix and we found ourselves on an epic free campground in Robin Hood Bay.
The morning was dreary and a mist of rain in the air, I talked with a photographer from England a little while and got some pointers. After breakfast we followed the dirt road through to Picton. Picton is where the ferry lands from Wellington and I was surprised that it was a really cool little town. Proceeding west on the 6 we stopped in Nelson. After gathering groceries we met up with a friend I made on the bus ride from Auckland at a pub called Sprig and Fern. The beer was great and brewed locally, after a couple we found a campsite next to the river behind a dairy farm in Tahunanui. Living the dream in my van down by the river! We held off for breakfast in the morning and proceeded up into Marahau and cooked a mean one in a backpackers car park near Abel Tasman Park.
After breakfast we were back on the 60 and took a dirt road called Cahaan road, it was long and ended at a campsite with toilets. There was a local there and we chatted with her about the hikes. We decided to give it a go and hiked to Harwoods hole and also the lookout. The hike was really neat with big algae covered boulders and rotting wood. At the end was a huge vertical shaft cave which is New Zealands largest, also there is a lookout over the valley, both jaw dropping scenes.
Finishing up the day we hiked back and drove out on the 60 through Takaka, an obvious hitchhikers paradise and hippy town. We found a pull off near Motupipi and crashed for the night.
South Island, New Zealand, Part III
After breakfast we headed just north of Abel Tazman park and did a cool hike to Wainui falls, there was a really cool swing bridge to cross there. After hiking to the falls we found a steep hidden track and followed it which led to the top of the falls, we jumped in the freezing water, it was refreshing and somewhat of a shower since neither of us had one for a dew days. After the hike we checked out Toto's gallery and pizzeria, a hidden off the grid gem with an outside brick oven.
After lunch and a couple lemonades we drove up to Farewell spit and did a small hike there and found a small pull off to camp for the night. I had noticed a sign reading "Machinery and Settlers Museum" the day before so I made a mental note to check it out. We drove a few K's and swung into an old dairy building made into museum. The place was packed full of old tractors, steam engines and other cool tools from the past.
After breakfast we headed just north of Abel Tazman park and did a cool hike to Wainui falls, there was a really cool swing bridge to cross there. After hiking to the falls we found a steep hidden track and followed it which led to the top of the falls, we jumped in the freezing water, it was refreshing and somewhat of a shower since neither of us had one for a dew days. After the hike we checked out Toto's gallery and pizzeria, a hidden off the grid gem with an outside brick oven.
After lunch and a couple lemonades we drove up to Farewell spit and did a small hike there and found a small pull off to camp for the night. I had noticed a sign reading "Machinery and Settlers Museum" the day before so I made a mental note to check it out. We drove a few K's and swung into an old dairy building made into museum. The place was packed full of old tractors, steam engines and other cool tools from the past.
South Island, New Zealand, Part IV
After checking out the museum we hit the road hard, south on the 60 through Motueka then picking up the 6 near Kohatu, took that through Murchinson to Westport. Finally made it to the West Coast! Before Westport we stopped in Inangahua junction and parked the van down by the river. A lonesome cafe looked over us at the river bottom, the sand flies were terrible so we decided to head up and have a beer. While walking up a Toyota Surf came barreling down the dirt path and stopped at our feet. The owner of the cafe though we were stuck and offered us a tow, we told him we were after a drink and he laughed and said they just bought the place so they had no license. We brought a bottle of Jameson with us anyway and had some whiskey and sprites with the owners, it was Andy's birthday anyhow. They were a bunch of good ol' boys, we had laughs and stories until late and made our way back down to the van around 2. The place was called Berlins on Buller, check it out if you ever go through there, Dean and Robbie are the owners.
In the am we mobbed out of the river bed, rolled through Westport, north on the 67 towards Karamea, stopped for a nice but buggy brunch by the beach and then back south as the road ended. Again through Westport towards Greymouth we stopped at an old Gold mine and took a tour. The owner still mining it from 35 years back when he purchased it. The mine was something out of a movie, about as much character in a place as you could imagine, the owner as well. We milled around there for a while then took off south towards Punakaiki canoes, stopped at the pancake rocks and stayed a night in a free park 6 k's from the highway. We had our first fire there, the dry river bed there that had risen 3-4 feet over night.
After checking out the museum we hit the road hard, south on the 60 through Motueka then picking up the 6 near Kohatu, took that through Murchinson to Westport. Finally made it to the West Coast! Before Westport we stopped in Inangahua junction and parked the van down by the river. A lonesome cafe looked over us at the river bottom, the sand flies were terrible so we decided to head up and have a beer. While walking up a Toyota Surf came barreling down the dirt path and stopped at our feet. The owner of the cafe though we were stuck and offered us a tow, we told him we were after a drink and he laughed and said they just bought the place so they had no license. We brought a bottle of Jameson with us anyway and had some whiskey and sprites with the owners, it was Andy's birthday anyhow. They were a bunch of good ol' boys, we had laughs and stories until late and made our way back down to the van around 2. The place was called Berlins on Buller, check it out if you ever go through there, Dean and Robbie are the owners.
In the am we mobbed out of the river bed, rolled through Westport, north on the 67 towards Karamea, stopped for a nice but buggy brunch by the beach and then back south as the road ended. Again through Westport towards Greymouth we stopped at an old Gold mine and took a tour. The owner still mining it from 35 years back when he purchased it. The mine was something out of a movie, about as much character in a place as you could imagine, the owner as well. We milled around there for a while then took off south towards Punakaiki canoes, stopped at the pancake rocks and stayed a night in a free park 6 k's from the highway. We had our first fire there, the dry river bed there that had risen 3-4 feet over night.
Ultralite,
Thanks for the message, I've been meaning to get on here with some updates but it takes a clear head and a good amount of time and energy to write a good post and I don't want to half a** it.
I'm doing great, thanks for asking! I'm now back in the US after I guess it was almost 4 months in Oceania. Australia, New Zealand and Figi in that order, I came back to the states somewhere around April 20th. I flew into NY, gathered my things and headed back out west with my Dad, my truck and a trailer of tools. I'm now residing in Stevensville, Montana where I'm watching my brother's place and puppies so he could take a job down in the Tetons for the summer. I promise in the next few weeks I will give a more detailed description of all that with PHOTOS!
If there is anyone in the Western Montana region that would like to meet up to go fishing, camping or just need help on their rigs please let me know, I'm new to the area and don't really know anyone!
Thanks for the message, I've been meaning to get on here with some updates but it takes a clear head and a good amount of time and energy to write a good post and I don't want to half a** it.
I'm doing great, thanks for asking! I'm now back in the US after I guess it was almost 4 months in Oceania. Australia, New Zealand and Figi in that order, I came back to the states somewhere around April 20th. I flew into NY, gathered my things and headed back out west with my Dad, my truck and a trailer of tools. I'm now residing in Stevensville, Montana where I'm watching my brother's place and puppies so he could take a job down in the Tetons for the summer. I promise in the next few weeks I will give a more detailed description of all that with PHOTOS!
If there is anyone in the Western Montana region that would like to meet up to go fishing, camping or just need help on their rigs please let me know, I'm new to the area and don't really know anyone!