The Final Days

Hi Everyone,

After over four months our trip is at an end. Today is our last day in Australia and tomorrow we begin a mammoth 38hour journey to arrive back in the UK at 7am on Monday morning. The last couple of weeks have not been our busiest! We flew from Sydney to Cairns and stepped off the plane to a balmy 25degrees celcius :-) Warm at last! We didnt stop long in beach-less Cairns instead heading 60km up the coast to Port Douglas, a small holiday resort often hosting the rich and famous (indeed the Luxembourgish royal family had just been staying there). Being not quite rich or famous we were staying in the less illustrious YHA hostel, but, it was but a five minute walk to the lovely four mile beach.

Thus we spent all but one of our ten days enjoying the sun and relaxing on the beach or by the hostel swimming pool. It did not rain once and the temperature remained consistent with a lovely sea breeze - blissful. Our one burst of activity in Port Douglas involved heading out to snorkal the Great Barrier Reef. It was a very choppy day causing poor Laura to be a bit sea sick and making snorkelling quite tough but we saw plenty of fish and - the highlight - a Green Turtle! Not to mention all the beautiful coral.

Finally it was time a couple of days ago to leave Port Douglas abd return to Cairns from where our journey home would begin. Yesterday (Laura's birthday!) we had to do something special so headed back to to the reef on a lovely sailing boat in much calmer waters than before (no sickness - yay!) - but this time to scuba dive! Laura was a bit nervous (being the first time) but both of us found the experience to be marvellous, a wonderful way to end the trip and one of the highlights! We saw so many beautiful fish and coral from a wonderful perspective and best of all we saw a white tipped reef shark and a couple of blue spotted rays. Simply superb. A lovely meal was had later to cap a wonderful day - and indeed, a wonderful trip.

The highlights? Our Tongariro adventure is definitely still up there as one of the best things we have done - the most physically and mentally demanding, but, due to that, the most rewarding All our wonderful wildlife experiences as well - kayaking with seals, walking amongst sea-lions, viewing penguins from mere metres away and of course scuba diving admist the fish and corals of the largest reef in the world! More generally, simply travelling and always experiencing new things has been wonderful. Not worrying what day of the week it is (no nasty Monday mornings), not knowing where we will sleep - it has all been wonderful.

Thanks again to all the people who have helped us on our way - The Cookes, Amy and John and of course the Sutherlands!

Unfortunately the real world beckons and Monday mornings are going to hit hard. Many of you may not know that we are going to be living in Southampton on our return to spend a year completing our PGCEs so whenever anyone is down our way - do come along and you can see plenty more photos and meet Ruff!

Bye for the last time

Laura, Niall & Ruff xx

Ruff Down Under

Hi Everyone,

We know we have technically been "Down Under" the whole time but Australia is more "Down Under" than New Zealand!

We braced ourselves for the "worst storm to hit New Zealand in a Decade" last Saturday and were preparing ourselves for cancelled/delayed flights, but the storm was a little disappointing and not as serious as expected - far more devastating for New Zealand was a bit of a thrashing at Rugby by the Aussies!

We arrived in Sydney on Sunday evening and had time to explore our surroundings with an evening stroll where we glimpsed the harbour bridge and saw some flying foxes. On Monday we set off to see the sights and see them we did! Cockatoos were a plenty in the Botanical Gardens and after some fun with them we walked down to the waterfront to stunning views of the opera house and harbour bridge. We continued round and then took a very pleasent ferry to Manly where we checked out the famous surf beach before heading back for stunning views of the city from the ferry.

On Tuesday we were off to the Aquarium - and a very good one it was too. The seals were not too exciting (we have seen so many, closer, in the wild!) but the reef sections were great and really whetted or appetite for adventures to come! In the evening we went off to see the much hyped new Batman film at the much hyped Sydney IMAX (the largest cinema screen in the world!) Amazingly we were not disappointed - the film was highly entertaining, but was made even more so by the stunning cinema - Niall doesnt want to go to another cinema again! - But flights could make for pricey films.

On Wednesday Ruff was excited as we were off to Taronga Zoo. Said to have the best views of any zoo in the world it did not disappoint. A marvellous zoo with many animals from Australia and the wider world in generally well done, spacious enclosures. Laura particularly enjoyed the Koala with baby - look closely on the picture. We whiled away a whole day there and nearly got stuck as the zoo closed!

We awoke to glorious weather on Thursday so had to check out Bondi Beach - we even managed a little sun bathing - pretty impressive in winter! The highlight was seeing a Southern Right Whale, with calf, just metres from the shore. It really was amazing and was a news story in the evening! Check it out on http://au.youtube.com/watch?v=eKUWlmMs6fE - we were right there on that beach!

Friday saw us travel two hours by train to the much colder Blue Mountains. The weather was not the best but we went on a lovely hike anyway. The scenery was totally unlike anything in New Zealand with dense bush, steep gorges and very noisy birds! The weather today was a different story, bright blue skies, if a little chilly. We set off for Wentworth Falls and undertook a stunning walk past marvellous waterfalls and stunning vistas along an incredibl path cut into the cliff face itself. We are now preparing to head of to Cairns tomorrow. We certainly cant wait for the promised 26c temperatures!

Bye for now

Laura, Niall & Ruff

Goodbye New Zealand

Hi all,

After a whopping 103 days spent travelling in New Zealand, we have come to the end of this part of the trip. We have driven over 7200 kms around this lovely country, seen a great many beautiful sights and explored as many nooks and crannies as possible.

After leaving Arthur's Pass, we headed east to Christchurch to stay, once again, with the Cooke family who had kindly offered to put up with us again. Thursday night was spent enjoying a lovely traditional Kiwi Roast (complete with Kiwi Pavlova) at Erin's parents (thanks to them!) Instead of staying just the one night however, we stayed for 2, enabling us to take part in a party at their house. All in all we got to bed far too late, had slightly overcooked the booze department but had a cracking time. :)

Niall had lots of fun on the pinball machine with Jason and Sam. A small competition was had with Jason and I think it is important to post the results:

Niall 9: Jason 15

Many thanks to the Cooke family once again!

From Christchurch Laura drove straight to Picton for our 2pm ferry crossing - Niall did not enjoy the journey at all! Unfortunately for us, and especially Niall, the sea was a bit rough - not something that aided hangovers in the slightest. Despite that we made it to Wellington safe and sound and managed a good night of kipping to compensate. As we had already passed through we decided we would just stay the one night before cracking on to Napier on the east coast. It is a unique town in that, after an eartquake early last century, the whole town was rebuilt in an art deco style. T'was a lovely place and the weather was certainly a fair few degrees warmer than it had been on the South Island! We had a lovely stroll along the beach just taking in the sun and art deco sights.

From Napier we hopped back into the car for a trip to Rotorua, a popular tourist spot famous for its volcanic surrounds. For those die hard blog readers, you may remember our earlier trip to Orakei Korako. This time we went to a place known as Wai-o-Tapu - famous for the Champagne pool (not what we were hoping for - but very pretty nonetheless). A walk takes you past mud pools and boiling waterfall scenery for a very scenic 3 kilometers. We enjoyed ourselves very much but, now starting to tire from the long drives, were glad of the chance to soak our bones in the Hostel's own hot pool - bliss.

We had intended to go from Rotorua to the Coromandel but unfortunately the weather turned filthy so we opted instead to head straight to Auckland where Amy, who you may remember from our first few days of the trip, has put us up for the last few nights of our trip.

Fortunately however the trip does not end here. On Sunday we fly to Sydney where we will spend a week getting to know a bit about this famous city. In addition we shall be paying a flying visit to the Blue Mountains before once again hopping on a plance to the tropical Gold Coast where we shall spend 3 nights in Cairns and ten in Port Douglas. the weather should be a lovely 25C+ and the Coral sea (home to the Great Barrier reef) just as warm. :)

Until then,

Ruff, Niall & Laura

More Mountains and Glaciers!

Hi All,

We have been moving faster since leaving Wanaka and have been really enjoying the trip back to the North. The rain was pouring when we left Wanaka and it did not let up all day! Luckily we arrived at a lovely hostel in the Fox Glacier township, it had a huge TV room with over 200 DVDs available to rent. Amongst others we watcher Touching the Void - if anyone has seen it they will know it is not the best thing to watch when you are planning to go walking on glaciers! In true West Coast style (they get 5m of rain a year! - London gets 0.6m!) it poured all night and was still pouring in the morning so we stayed in bed watching rubbish UK TV (why would you buy and import 'Tenants from Hell?' A quick let up allowed us to go down and view the impressive glacier and some very impressive waterfalls. A pleasant afternoon was spent chatting with others in the hostel - including a guy who had cycled from Auckland! We spent the evening watching the All Blacks get beaten in the rugby! But, alas, it was South Africa that dealt the blow not England!

We awoke to glorious weather on Sunday and walked around Lake Matheson - famous for its views of Mount Cook (we are on the otherside of it!) and went back to the glacier as we could get closer thanks to receding rivers. We then drove 25km north to Franz Josef Glacier and booked ourselves on a full day hike for the next day.

Our glacier hike on Franz Josef glacier was truely remarkable and one of the best things we have done in New Zealand. Our guide, Bruce (from Bury St.Edmunds - for those that don't know that's 25mins from Soham!), led the way cutting steps with his axe as we climbed up the face of the glacier, giving us a good geography lesson along the way. Once at the top we began "free guiding" along less formed paths, squeezing (literally squeezing!) through crevasses and climbing over ice walls. It was all fantastic and great views were in abundance throughout the day. Ruff in particular enjoyed the day and didn't need crampons like the rest of us thanks to his four sturdy legs!

On Tuesday we set off across Arthurs Pass to get back to Christchurch. A beautifully scenic road, the highlight of which (so far) was stopping at a scenic lookout, only to be surrounded by 10 or more Keas! Keas are rare alpine parrots found only in New Zealand. They are one of the most intelligent birds in the world and their intelligence matches that of the most sophisticated monkeys! They were incredibly tame and great at posing for photos. Although we had to watch out as they tried to demolish our car!

We are currently staying in another lovely hostel in Arthurs Pass village after a day of beautiful walks and more Kea photography (they are awesome birds - they really really are!) and tomorrow will finish driving across the pass and arrive back in Christchurch before heading on Friday for Picton and the ferry back to the North Island! We have certainly enjoyed the South, but the warmth of the North and the trip to Australia are beckoning!

Bye for now

Love

Laura, Niall & Ruff

Queenstown & Wanaka

Hi all,

In the past week we have spent some quality time exploring the Queenstown-Wanaka region of New Zealand. Both are well known as year round resorts with plenty of adventure activites (bungy jumping, sky diving) and winter skiing on offer. It is quite evident that one could spend a fortune in these places, but we shunned this aspect of the towns and headed for the hills and the multitude of walks on offer - Ruff was especially pleased!

First up was the Queenstown Hill walk - a 3 hour round trek ascending 600 metres to a lovely vantage point with views over Lake Wakatipu (upon whose shores Queenstown resides), The Remarkables and other mountain ranges. The day prior to this had seen plenty of snow fall which made the climb a bit trickier but added significantly to the marvellous views.

The following day we set out on a more ambitious trek - a 1000 metre ascent of Ben Lomond saddle. The peak itself was off limits as, at 1700 metres, too much snow lay in our way. The day started out cloudy but cleared as we approached our destination giving magnificent alpine views in every single direction. As a reward for our efforts we allowed ourselves to dine out at one of Queenstown's many restaurants. A couple of beers, some wine, steak and lamb were devoured leaving us with a very satisfied feeling after a cracking day.

A little rest after the sharp ascent through deep snow!

From Queenstown we headed north to Wanaka. It is smaller than Queenstown and attracts a different crowd to Queenstown. Where the latter is besieged by English and Irish holidaymakers, Wanaka is home to a great many French who prefer the skiing and quieter atmosphere.

Once again we set our targets high and decided upon a trek up Mt Roy - a 1570 metre peak that would require 1100 metres+ of ascent (in just over 6 kilometers of distance). We hoped intently that the views would be worth it! In the end we need not have worried. Although the ascent was relentless the views were sublime. Not only did it feel great to reach the summit but we were witness to sun halos and iridescent clouds - quite the spectacle!

Laura and Ruff had to forge ahead to the summit as Niall had a sudden attack of nerves! But we were not going 1100m up to miss the last 10!

Asides from all the walking we have been to the cinema in Wanaka (big room with lots of comfy sofas making it a novel, but enjoyable experience). We watched Iron Man which isn't much to write home about but it did certainly allow for a good few chuckles. We also managed to watch the last few sets of the Federer v Nadal Wimbledon final - a cracker of a match that reminded us of the summer you must all be experiencing back home!

Bye for now,

Niall, Laura and Ruff

Fjordland

Hi Everyone,

The travel pace has slowed a little since the last place a we have stayed the last four nights at Te Anau - the gateway to Fjordland. We drove through yet more rain on the trip from oh so sunny Invercargill and arrived at our campsite to find that we had a cabin upgrade :-) which meant we had a TV, dining table and kitchen facilities all to ourselves! Not so luxuriously we had to go outside to the bathroom facilities - not pleasent in torrential downpours and gales!

We popped into the not too lively Te Anau town centre on Sunday afternoon and were soon suckered into paying for a coach/kayak trip on Milford Sound. So, we set our alarms on Monday morning to ensure we made the 7.45am minibus (painful when the sun doesnt rise till 8.15am and it is FREEZING!) It was nice not to drive the potentially icy, snowy road and to sit back and relax for once - especially as the Milford Road is reputed to be one of the most scenic in the world! Scenic it was! Particularly lovely were the aptly named Mirror Lakes which our drive made a photostop for.

As we arrived at the Sound any morning cloud there was, disappeared to reveal glorious blue skies - very luck for a place that gets 8m of rain a year! Changing into kayak gear was decidly chilly (Ruff wimped out at this point but did enjoying watching the Sound from the shore and chasing Keas), but once we were paddling we soon warmed up with the sun on our faces! The kayaking was glorious with stunning scenery and the odd seal to spot. Simply stunning. The day ended with the lovely return trip and plenty of photo stops with glorious waterfalls and towering peaks to be seen.

The next day we decided to head back out on the Milford Road as the road had been very driveable. We decided to tackle two walks - Key Summit (part of the Routeburn Great Walk) and Marian Lake. The first walk proved a tough one with a 400m ascent and snow and ice to contend with. We were, however, rewarded with marvellous views. The second wakl began with a stunning white water river. The walk was through difficult terrain but the forest was lovely - beautifully green with moss growing on all the trees. We didnt quite make it to the lake but he walk was lovely all the same and the weather was quickly clouding over. In view of the clouds we decided to head back to the Sound to see it in different weather. It was still beautiful but very different - moody and mysterious.

On Wednesday we awoke to torrential rain and thus abandoned our plan to walk part of the Keplar Track. In our 13th week we feel pretty chuffed to have only had to abandon our plan once - and tired from our previous days exertions we were happy enough to have a lazy day. On leaving today the weather was worsening and the Milford Road conditions becoming too difficult for our inexperience, once again our timing has been perfect. We hope there is no one doing our trip a few days behind us - they will be having a miserable time!

We have just arrived in Queenstown (a hugely popular ski/adventure resort) and it is certainly bustling and crowded - so a very different experience once again and we will update you shortly on the adventures we have had!

Laura, Niall & Ruff

Part Two: Penguins & Sea-Lions

Hi Again - If you are reading this first then please pause, scroll down and read the blog "Rugby Lows and Mountain Highs" first!

On Wednesday morning we drove from Mount Cook back to the East Coast to Oamaru and the Yellow Eyed Penguin Colony (the rarest penguins in the world) once again we were not disappointed and saw numerous ridiculously cute birds waddling in from the sea and up the cliffs to their beds. We were lucky to see four at very close quarters - but unfortunately the light was far too dim to take any good pictures.

On Thursday morning Niall was determined to get up early and head back to the penguins to try and get some good photos. Luckily the sun is rising quite late at the moment so we didn't have to be too early (8am). As we arrived the penguins were just waking up from their nights rest. We saw them waddling to and fro at incredibly close quarters. The highlight was watching a penguin couple building a nest (quite early as they don't lay eggs until August).
Once all the penguins were off for their days fishing we went back to the hostel for some breakfast before once again hitting the road for Dunedin.

Dunedin has Scottish heritage and Dunedin is actually the Gaelic for Edinburgh. As we arrived it was pretty Scottish in feel - pouring with rain and dull and gray! We set out anyway to explore the city which was pleasant enough. Niall went off to the Otago Museum where they have a simulated tropical forest with butterflies that he wanted to photograph (yes photographs again!) Laura meanwhile felt that a visit to Cadburys World was far more worthwhile - particularly due to the promise of plenty of free samples. A good time was had by all and we finished the day in very British style with beer and a Chinese takeaway.

We awoke to yet more rain on Friday morning as we planned to drive through the Catlins on the very south of the South Island. Many interesting stop offs are promised in the guide books the first of which was Nugget Point. An incredibly rugged, um, point! With a nineteenth century lighthouse, interesting rocks and big waves!

Next stop off was Cannibal Bay and the chance to see Sea-Lions. As we walked out the beach looked disappointingly empty but at the end was a solitary female sea-lion! Very exciting. She was pretty chilled out and undeterred by Niall edging closer and closer for a photo. A short walk to the next beach promised more sea-lion possibilities. This time we were really lucky! As we walked through the dunes we came across a big, fat, male sea-lion (we did not want to get too close and had to sprint past!) And also a very cute youngster having a good scratch against the rough grass. Down on the beach there were three sea-lions and they put on an exciting show as two males had a little scrap over a female (the larger of the two was the clear victor!) Niall then got a little too close and had to run for it when he reared up, growled and lunged! - See photo!
We had hoped to look around Cathedral Caves further along the coast but rough seas meant they were closed and we went, instead to McLean Falls. This was a really spectacular waterfall set in ancient forest. A really lovely place. We then moved on to Curio Bay (our home for the night) we stopped off at the very unimpressive Niagara Falls (a Kiwi joke) before arriving at our cottage. We couldn't believe our luck to be the sole occupiers of the cottage, positioned just off the beach with spectacular views and with Blue Penguin nests underneath!!! (We didn't see any though :-( ) so a cosy night was had as the wind roared, the rain poured and the waves crashed.

A pleasant but windy walk along the beach was had this morning. Some impressive waves were seen and impressive rainbows before heading off to Invercargill via a petrified forest (we couldn't see much due to high tide). Now in Invercargill the weather is still dreary and there is not too much to do, but tomorrow we head to Te Anau and the delights of Milford Sound.

Laura, Niall and Ruff!

Part One: Rugby Lows and Mountain Highs

Hi All,

We have had such an eventful week that we have split the blog update into two.

We left Kaikoura for Christchurch. We were pleasently surprised by the city - deciding it was our favourite so far although the British influence is incredibly strong! We had a pleasant meander around the Art Gallery, Art Centre, Canterbury Museum and Botanical Gardens - how cultured we are!

On Saturday evening we were off to the AMI stadium to see England take on the All Blacks. We knew a win was unlikely but were unprepared for quite how dismal England were. The whole experience was, however, a delight. The atmosphere in the stadium was superb and the match was even preceded by a re-enactment of the Battle of Britain - and of course the Haka!

Once again we had excellent hosts, staying with the Cooke family in the country on the outskirts of the city. They fed us, watered us and kicked their son Jason out of his room so that we could kip in it! Marvellous.

From there we made our way to Mount Cook village. With snow forecast we were slightly anxious but we arrived to decent weather and immediately undertook a walk to the Tasman Glacier Lake where we were rewarded with views of an iceberg strewn lake in front of the glacier - we were a little surprised by how dirty the ice was though. The forecast snow fell overnight and we awoke to picture perfect views. Eager not to miss the clear skies we set of at 8am for our first walk to Kea Point where we saw an almost cloudless Mount Cook before heading back to the hostel in heavy snow and fog for breakfast. Later we walked to Hooker Valley. A marvellously picturesque walk where we again experienced both clear skies and snow (changeable mountain weather was in evidence). The snow was only about two inches deep so didn't cause us the kind of problems experienced in Tongariro! We finished off the day with a steep 400m climb up to Red Tarns. As we reached the viewing point the clouds parted and we saw Mount Cook in all its glory as the sun began to set. The perfect end to the day.

Sounds & Whales

Hi All!


We have literally just stepped off the Whale Watch boat in Kaikoura, having seen no less than five sperm whales (unfortunately we failed to see any humpbacks or dolphins) and a fair few albatross! The whales were pretty impressive, although pretty stoic - they are deep sea whales and come up for air for about ten minutes in every hour. We were only able to see the tops of their bodies, but their dive down, with accompanying sight of tail fin was quite impressive.

We have been in Kaikoura for a couple of days - arriving in horrendous weather on Tuesday. We had planned to whale watch yesterday but high winds led to its cancellation. The weather was otherwise fine so we walked the famous Kaikoura peninsula which had an abundance of seals! Hundreds and hundreds! We were not supposed to get closer than ten metres but they were all over our path so we had no choice! This lead to a few hairy moments when they growled quite menacingly (Ruff scared them off for us though). The walk was great though and was yet another close and personal encounter to our furry friends. Kaikoura is a stunning town, set around a huge bay with snowy mountains as a backdrop and we can see it all from our hostel which is right on the waterfront! A spot that a hostel in the UK could never afford.


We left Motueka last Friday and headed back to Picton (our point of arrival on the South Island) to do the Queen Charlotte track. A 3-5 day, 71km walk that is a little different to others we have done due to the presence of B&Bs, hotels and homestays, rather than the rather spartan, chilly and dark DOC huts. Another benefit was that your main pack is transferred by water taxi from one destination to the next:



Day One: Ship Cove - Furneaux Lodge: 14km
We had an early start on Saturday to catch our 9am water taxi, and a very pleasent surprise awaited us at the harbour when a pod of dolphins swam around to the delight of the early rising Picton dwellers. It is apparently very rare to see them right in the harbour so we were very lucky. We had a very pleasent journey of an hour or so to Ship Cove, wheer we disembarked to find ourselves facing a very nasty, steep climb. It being the equivalent of mid-December we had layered up with thermals and fleeces. Ten minutes in we were stripping off! The weather was ridiculously warm (21 celcius) and the sharp climb was making us just a little sweaty! The walk soon calmed down into gentler ascents and descents. We saw the rare New Zealand Giant Pigeon and a few more Weka. With only a short walk to complete and plenty of time we found a scenic spot for lunch enjoyed a 45minute break (we even had apple cake from our packing days). We arrived at Furneaux Lodge at 3pm to some disappointment. The lodge itself was set in the most delightful surroundings and was pretty pricey (but with a backpackers area). Alas the backpackers rooms (still the most expensive yet in NZ) were pretty poor, so we spent much of the vening in the bar where we were treated to quite some humiliation by the All Blacks. Hopefully it was not a glimpse of what is to come on Saturday. At least we are winning the cricket!

Day Two: Fureneaux Lodge - Noelines homestay: 13km

With such a short day ahead of us we started with a detour to see a pretty little waterfall. The walk itself was great - through dense, almost rainforest like bush, with giant beech trees and huge canopies of ferns. Back on the main track the walking was easy with little ascent or descent. Once again we were lucky with wildlife and saw a pod of dusky dolphins feeding just offshore. The weather was unbelievable at 21degrees - the hottest June day since 1991! We were walking in t-shirts and vest tops! We arrived at Noeline's by 3pm. Noeline was 77 and owns a homestay meaning we stayed in her house. It was a very pleasant experience. We were greeted with tea and scones and the conversation was plentiful!

Day Three: Noeline's - Debretts: 24km

A much longer day ahead of us meant an early start on a slightly gloomier and chillier day. We began the walk with a 400m climb, unfortunately we were up and down all day, but the views were stunning, with Queen Charlotte Sound to our left and Keneperu Sound to our right. Abel Tasman lacked views and Queen Charlotte more than made up for it and Laura certainly preferred it as a walk, with stunning views all around us. We completed the walk in good time and made it to Debretts for 4pm. Here we had really hit gold! We had a whole apartment to ourselves for just $70! And what views the apartment had from it's balcony. We could easily have spent a week there had it been summer, alas we were just spending the night.

We had decided to finish the walk early having completed 51 of the 71km. The rest of the wlak promised to be fairly similar and with poor weather forecast we decided it was better to head to Kaikoura before dark. So, after a leisurely lay in we caught a water taxi at 12pm to arrive back in Picton, for a scenic, yet rainy drive to Kaikoura. Christchurch awaits us with its punting (a bit too close to home methinks!), Christs College (again a bit familiar) and rugby humiliation!

Bye for now

Laura, Niall & Ruff xx

Goodbye Motueka - Massive thanks to the Sutherlands

Hi all,

It has been a fair while since the last update but, seeing as we are now leaving Motueka, we thought we would provide you all with an update of what we have being getting up to and what lies ahead.

After finishing work at the packhouse we got back to exploring the local area. We visited Kahurangi National Park with the desire to summit Mount Arthur (1800m) but, despite a fantastic weather forecast, the clouds set in and the temperature dropped as we reached 1600m forcing us to turn back. Prior to this the views from Flora Saddle (950m) up to Mount Arthur hut (1400m) were beautiful so at least we did get to see some of the mountain and valley scenery. Doing the walk, one can understand why the weather is so fantastic around Motueka as all rain is simply deposited on the mountains to the west.

After our failed summit bid of Mount Arthur we set off to Takaka hill for a shortish 10km walk through lovely karst scenery. Takaka hill is home to New Zealand's largest cave systems and after completing the walk we decided to check this out for ourselves with a visit to Harwood's hole - a 180m deep, 50m wide tomo leading down into vast cave sytems below - quite a sight!

Asides from walking we have visited Nelson (pretty town but very quiet Sundays) and Laura has been busy making Apple crumbles and cakes that Ruff has spent his time gorging on. Niall has continued in his bid to photograph as many Kingfishers as possible. :)

Tomorrow our stay in Motueka comes to an end. We cannot thank John, Sharon and Raewyn enough for their generosity in allowing us to stay at their pad in Motueka. It has been a great 5 weeks and, when back in Luxembourg at Christmas, we hope to be able to thank them properly.

Our plans from here take us East to Picton and the Queen Charlotte trek that winds its way through Marlborough Sounds. The walk will take us 4 days and cover 58km. From there we head South to Kaikoura for whale watching; to Christchurch for the Rugby (Eng v NZ 21st June); to Mount Cook for more treks; Oamaru for penguins; Dunedin for access to the Catlins before rounding the south tip of the South Island so as to begin winding our way back north via Invercargill, Te Anau, Milford Sound, Queenstown, Wanaka, Fox Glacier, Franz Josef Glacier, Hokitika and Arthur's Pass. Deep Breath - Phew.

The map at the top of the blog shows you where we have been (in brown) and where we intend to go (in green). We haven't decided on our itinerary for the return leg on the North Island just yet so it has not yet been added. It looks a bit small and basic for now so when we have the time we will find a better map and better photo editing software!!

Bye for now and keep and eye out for further blog updates,

Ruff (+Niall & Laura)

APPLES

Hi All,

We have just come to the end of what is probably the longest week in our lives! We have been packing apples (to be sent to Tescos and M&S!) in a packhouse near Motueka. Apple packing is pretty dull. You stand on a conveyor belt, pick up apples, check them for blemishes and put them in cardboard trays... for nine hours a day! Honestly - I dont know how apples with bruises ever make it to our fruit bowls with old ladies breathing down our necks moaning at us for packing apples with a a slight little bruise. By the end of the day you are exhausted and your back is aching like mad from stooping over the belt. Also the apples come out pretty fast and there is no let up at all!

Anyway - enough of boring apples! Other than that we have done little but watch TV! (British repeats mostly - thats all there is!) Unfortunately (!) there packhouse is now closed for the season so we are out of work again but we have lots of apple based crumbles, pies and cakes to bake so that will keep us amused for a few days or so!

Ruff decided apple packing wasnt for him and lazed around in bed all day - we were not impressed!

Laura, Niall and Ruff. xx

Abel Tasman - Great Walk No.2

Hi All,

We have completed our second great walk in much less dramatic fashion than the last. Billed the easiest of the great walks, we made it slightly tougher by aiming to complete the bulk of the 51km in just 2 days. Still we managed to get back safe and sound with little more than aching feet and some nasty sandfly bites.

Day One: 21km, 5.5hours

Setting our alarms for 6am to ensure we got an early start, we fuelled ourselves up with toast, eggs, beans and sausages and set off for Marahau, the start of the track! We were aiming for 21km and the first 11 or so were pretty uneventful. The track was fairly flat and mainly passed through bush close to the coastline. By 11.30am we had arrived at Torrent Bay - the bay was only passable within 2 hours of low tide so we had a one hour wait - we had some lunch and watched the water gently slope away before taking off our boots, rolling up our trousers and wading across. We made it to our hut by 3pm and were able to have a relaxing afternoon. The hut was beautifully situated a few measly metres from the sea and by a tidal estuary. When we arrived the beach was huge! By high tide there was little sand left. All in all it was a nice day of tramping without being overly spectacular. We both agree that the path should have spent more time on the beach!

Day Two: 24.5km, 7hours

Day two started with slightly more weary legs and backs and with a much less satisfactory breakfast! There was no need to get an early start as we had to make a couple of tidal crossings and the low tide fell at a bad time. So at 9am we strode out and were quickly faced with a pretty steep climb which meant we were stripping off our thermals half an hour after putting them on. The walk became more pleasant with more glimpses of the coast and more stretches of beach to walk on. After a couple of hours we came to our first tidal crossing that went pretty smoothly. An hour and a half later we came to Awaroa. A stunning beach/estuary area. The hut warden warned we would have to wait at least an hour. So wait we did for the waters to lower. A few sandwiches and slabs of chocolate later and it was trousers off time as we waded across. Wincing as we trod on sea shells, but avoiding getting wet despite the water level being over our knees in places. We reached the other side at 2pm but with the bulk of the km still to do we faced finishing in the dark so we strode on as fast as we could. The walk was certainly nicer but also a little tougher as we kept descending on to beaches and then reascending to the bush and cliff tops.



Just as the sun started to set we came across a lone seal pup swimming in the surf close to the beach. He was very curious giving us a long hard stare, he seemed a little lost so we hope he is ok! We then faced an hour of walking in the pitch black in the bush. Headlamps strapped on, we braced ourselves and delved into the dark. The track was very clear and straightforward so we soon arrived at the hut where we chatted to a very friendly kiwi couple. She had been to Luxembourg and not the UK (fairly rare!) and her boyfriend has sung in Ely Cathedral! A small world indeed! They were real south islanders - having seen less of the north island than us!

Day Three: 13.5km (5hours)

We began early as we wanted to head out to Separation Point - a seal colony and beautiful spot to watch the sunrise. Leaving our packs in the hut we set off at 6.30am, again in the dark! We arrived at the point at 7.15am. Just in time to watch the sunrise and watch some sleeping seals on the rocks below! (Lazy little buggers - we got up early to see them and they slept in!) As the sun rose higher in the sky we were able to head back to the hut for breakfast and put our torches away. We faced a morning of retracing our steps as the sea taxis you take back to the start of the walk dont go as far west as the walk does. We decided to take it easy and spend a little longer lingering on the beautiful beaches. We made it to Totaranui campsite in three hours and with plenty of time to spare. We spent much of the two hours killing as many sandflies as possible. However a short rainshower led us to the safety of the 'day room' and a remarkable coincidence! Niall opened the visitors book and believe it or not it fell open on a page and the first thing Niall saw was "Philip and Ida" and their entry from 2006! Truly amazing!

The water taxi was an unexpected adrenaline rush! The tiny and very fast boat jumping and lurching over the huge waves! Our hunger certainly subsided! The boat completed our three day walk in little over an hour! Returning to the house in Motueka with the exciting prospect of hot shower, pizza and tv was a lovely prospect - but there was not quite the same relief as retuning from Tongariro!

Amy and John have arrived from Auckland to spend a long weekend here in Motueka so we are spending a few days with them before beginning work in a packhouse on Monday - rest assured, next week's blog promises to be very dull indeed!

Love

Laura, Niall & Ruff

(Ruff has decided not to work - he wants to be a kept dog and he has too much fun chasing kingfishers!)

Arrived in Motueka

Hi to all,

We have now made it to sunny Motueka in the north-western part of the south island. By the good graces of one Mr. Sutherland we are living in the lap of luxury at his house in this bustling seaside town. The house backs on to a golf course, is but a short walk from the beach and boasts a pool table (current score: Niall 4-0 Laura). The weather has been superb every day since we arrived enabling us to stroll each evening along the beach and to make the most of the surrounding countryside and its walks. On top of that we have now been for a wonderful kayak around Marahau (starting point for the Abel Tasman great walk). The sea was very calm and we were able to sit on deserted beaches and (unexpectedly) kayak with very friendly seals who delighted in swimming under and around the kayak.
They were beautiful, graceful animals and were very playful, one tried chomping on the rudder and a few nudged our paddles. All the while we were just arms length away from them. We also came across some pups who were very curious but also a little nervous to get in and swim near the kayak (see below for photo).

We spent around an hour alone, with the friendly beasts before heading back to shore via beautiful coves and shorelines with crystal clear water. All in all a lovely day out and one of the highlights of our trip so far.

From next week we hope to use this spell of good weather to our advantage by completing the Abel Tasman great walk before starting work in either a packhouse of pruning - oh the joy.

In any case we are all (Ruff included of course) in great spirits and looking forward to discovering more of this lovely region of New Zealand before starting up our travels again and seeing the rest of the South Island.

The next update will bring you information on the Great Walk and our progress on the job front.

Niall and Laura + Ruff

Tongariro Northern Circuit - The Adventure

Hi All,

As you all know we spent a fair few days in Taupo waiting for the weather to clear so we could begin the 4 day trek that is 'The Northern Circuit' in Tongariro National Park (Central North Island) - on of New Zealand's 9 Great Walks.

We arrived in Whakapapa (the start of the walk) to beautiful weather as you can see from the photo so we decided we would start the walk the following day.

The larger mountain to the right is Mt Ngurohoe (more famously Mount Doom in Lord of the Rings). To the left is the smaller Mt. Tongariro. The full walk takes us a good way up Ngurohoe, then across to Tongariro.

Day One: Whakapapa Village - Mangetepopo Hut (9km, 4hours)

Despite some rain we set of on Friday morning as the weather at the weekend promised to be decent enough. We rainproofed ourselves and set off for a fairly muddy slog to Mangetepopo Hut. We saw little asides from scrub land thanks to the cloud, but passed a pleasant evening alone in the hut (we saw zero people on the walk all day). Arriving at Mangatepopo hut meant that we would be all set for the next day - which would be part of the famous Tongariro Crossing (often cited as being the best one day tramp in New Zealand and by some as one of the best one day walks in the world).

Day Two: Mangatepopo Hut - Ketatahi Hut (10km, 7hours)

We awoke to a dusting of snow but our friendly Japanese Hut warden promised the walk would be do-able. The weather quickly became beautiful with bright blue sky and bright sunlight falling on the shimmering snow. We ascended steeply up to the saddle between Mount Ngurohoe and Mount Tongariro. The higher we got the thicker the snow became and parts were icy. Laura had a mild panic attack on an icy ledge with a steep drop to the side - Niall saved the day carrying both packs. As we continued to climb the saddle between the moutains (reaching 1886meters at the Red Crater) the stunning views of the emerald lakes awaited us.

It was amongst the most beautiful landscapes I think either of us had ever seen - made all the more stunning by the snow. Indeed a Kiwi guide that we met (who must have done it a thousand times) said it was the most beautiful he had seen it. Photos do not do it justice. The other good news was that Ketatahi hut was downhill from there! So we began a leisurely walk past the Emerald and Blue Lakes to Ketatahi Hut. A tough walk certainly but a beautiful one - and despite the snow and ice the weather was good and we had the toughest bit behind us (or so we thought...)

Day Three: Ketatahi - Waihohonu Hut (16km, 7hours)

We awoke early on Sunday to the sunrising over the beautiful landscape of Lake Rotoaira and Lake Taupo beyond. The weather forecast for Sunday was the best yet so we set off in decent spirits despite some rather ominous looking clouds. After some tricky downward (and slightly icy) slopes and ridges the landscape became quite beautifully volcanic. Snow began falling (better than rain) and wasnt settling so everyhting seemed just fine. The trekking was quite tough, but manageable. Lots of ups and downs but the landscape made it worthwhile - the snow lending the huge lava chunks a msyterious air. The snow began to settle and we descended into forest. It felt like walking into Narnia (or any such fantasy possibilities).


We trekked up and down through the forest for over an hour before reaching the welcome warmth of the hut. There was a large group of Argentinians and a couple of Germans. A very friendly group - we, however, were shattered and asleep at 8.30pm both keen to get a good nights sleep for an early start. Both groups had completed the stretch of the walk we were due to start the next day and completed the 14km in 4 hours. It was due to be the easiest section of the walk so the snow (getting heavier by now) was no worry to us. We were off the mountain and at relatively low altitude.

Day Four: Waihohonu to Whakapapa Village (14km, 8 hours)

Probably the toughest day of our lives! We awoke to thick, thick snow. However, the walk was meant to be easy so, expecting it to take a little longer than the estimated 4 hours we wrapped up warm and made an early (8.30am) start. Out of the forest and into the valley the snow remained thick (between 30 and 60cm). Walking through snow like that is unbeliveably draining on your legs and very slow (especially for Laura). We were also soon pretty wet as the snow came over the top of our boots and soaked up underneath our waterproof trousers. A couple of hours in, cold and tired we realised the walk was going to take a lot longer than we thought, but mistakenly thought we were further along the track than we were so pressed on. The snow did not let up for a moment, and Laura struggled to keep up. We had to keep going for warmth. Once again the hero (insert - Laura is writing this by the way), Niall took both packs so Laura could walk a bit quicker. Six hours in we saw a sign that signified where we were. However, we had taken that long to complete a 3 hours stretch and were fearful that we would now finish after dark.

Fifteen minutes later we saw a heavenly sight - footprints!!! We followed them up to a crest and saw... brown! Ground that was not covered in snow! As we descended the walk became easier and our pace quickened warming us up and sending our adrenalin levels up! Laura (still unladen by packs) stormed ahead and was able to see Whakapapa in the distance. We completed the last part of the walk to scheduled time and were in the hotel and soaking our bones in the shower by 5pm. Starving we indulged in a three course meal in a local bistro before getting a very, very early (and most importantly) warm night beneath our duvets.

Thankfully we were well equipped for our walk. We were concerned about the Argentinians (half of whom wore trainers and jeans) and hoped they had made the sensible decision to stay in the hut (when we left they were still asleep). We informed the DOC of how tough the walk had been and asked them to check on the Argentinians. We learnt the next day that two of the group had a got into trouble and dialled 111. Mountain Rescue was dispatched. In the end all the group made it to safety.

Now in Wellington it is scarcely believeable as the sun shines and the temperature is a warm 15 or so degrees celsius. Mountains are indeed beautiful but dangerous things and the weather is fast to change (and does not listen to weather forecasters).

Ruff - he can't understand what the fuss was all about - his coat was quite warm and could happily of trotted round in two days flat!


4 days makes a big difference!!

Boys on Tour - New Zealand (+girl and dog)

Hi Everyone!

Ruff has felt a little left out this week as the infamous "Boys on Tour" hit New Zealand with a bang! - But thats not before he had a lot of fun abseiling, caving, rafting and climbing - no photos as it was a little wet for the camera!

Yes - Niall, Laura and Ruff took on Waitomo's "Black Abyss" - abseiling 35metres into the total darkness of one of the famous gloworm caves. A flying fox was taken in pitch blackness (pretty scary) before jumping into the black waters of the cave. We floated along, gazing at the beautifully impressive glowworms before crawling and climbing through the cave and up waterfalls. We finally arrived into the dark night - a very strange sensation as you still feel like you are in the cave - but suddenly notice fresh air, plants and stars (just like the glowworms)! We finished off with a welcoming supper of hot soup and toasted bagels.

After the thrills of Waitomo we drove east to the lakeside resort of Taupo - a fairly characterless town, but the gateway to the Tongariro walk - which we are unfortunately yet to start due to cloudy, wet weather. On the first day we drove op to Orakei Koroko - a fantastic thermal area - jam packed with geysers, mud pools, steam, boiling water and general thermal activity - a thoroughly enjoyable 2km trek. On the way back we stopped by at "the Craters of the Moon" another thermal area with steam jetting from every bush, nook and crevice - the walk around this park was quickened due to some heavy rain and one of us having no waterproofs (needless to say it was neither Laura nor Ruff)!

Upon arrival back in Taupo Sunday evening Paul and Chris arrived - touring NZ as part of their five month, ten country tour - in monolithic camper van "Frank the Tank." In true Luxembourgian form the first stop was the pub and the pub was only left nine pints (Ruff managed ten!) and a few wet coins later.

Monday brought a surprisingly sunny day and the five of us went on a decent walk (8km) along the crystal clear Waikato River to visit the small but impressive Huka Falls (four hundred tonnes of water per second pass over it). This was followed by a dip in an incredibly hot thermal spot by the river. The evening was spent chilling in Frank the Tank with games of cribbage and salami sandwiches!

Tuesday - being damp and horrible - caused us all to decide to stay in Taupo for another day - a break in the rain allowed us to complete a game of mini golf - won, frustratingly by Paul and Chris - and Laura almost cried as she led Niall until the 18th hole - wherupon she crumbled. Ruff played on his own and completed the course in 6 under par - the overall winner! (Chris came second!) Another night was spent in Frank, with games of cribbage, whist and bottles of beer to accompany! We are now spending a final day in Taupo - alas the last day of Boys on Tour - but it may end with a bang with the possibility of all the Luxembourgers doing a bungy jump - Laura and Ruff think this is a thoroughly daft idea and the time could be spent better having a cup of tea at the top and laughing as they get wet!

Tongariro awaits us as the weather forecast has improved - and we hope to write next week with sore muscles and a multitude of blisters!

Love

Laura, Niall & Ruff

Dolphins & Trees!

Hello All!

We left the big(ish) city of Auckland and the excellent hospitality of Amy and John (who could ask for more than a Sunday roast and an OK magazine on your bedside table!) first thing on Monday morning and headed North to the beautiful Bay of Islands. We had a night booked aboard The Rock - a fabulous overnight trip aboard a converted car ferry. Laura came second in the rubber duck air rifle shooting contest and caught a mackeral (Niall caught a sizeable snapper!) and we ate a delicious barbeque before heading out on a night kayak on the beautiful moon lit Pacific! The next day we awoke to beautiful views of the Island, a breakfast of Porridge and a Kayak to a remote Island where we were able to snorkel in a lagoon teeming with fish of all shapes and sizes. On returning to the Rock we spotted a little blue penguin fishing for its lunch.

The highlight, however was a pod of thirty dolphins that swam around the boat as the sun set. Babies included! They came so close Laura got a good squirt in the face from the blow hole of one! We also caught one playing with a fish (I dont think the fish was having much fun and the game ended badly for it!)

After disembarkation we drove to the nearby Harura falls and spent the night in a lodge. We then drove across the Northland to the opposit coast and magestic Kauri forest. We spent a couple of hours walking around and taking in the magestic trees and beautiful birds. We saw the 1st, 2nd and 7th largest trees! We then stayed in a small, remote and spartan lodge and Laura was reminded of her days in Ghana - spiders, powercuts and dirt!

We have today driven 300miles down the country, back through Auckland an on to the famous Waitomo caves which we will vist tomorrow. On our way we were able to take in a Kiwi House where we saw some Kiwis! They are indeed strange but wonderful birds - hald evolved into mammals and sadly severely endangered due to the European pests we have introduced - Laura has helped their cause by buiying some possum glove!!

Glow worms, lakes and moutains await and an update weill follow!

Laura, Niall & Ruff.

Few days in Auckland

A smooth, albeit lengthy, flight from Hong Kong has now taken us to the lovely city of Auckland. It lacks the bustle and variety of Hong Kong but has a beautiful setting of numerous bays and 43ish volcanoes that sprout up all around the place.

Unlike in Hong Kong, we are not staying in a tiny hostel. Laura's school and uni friend Amy and her partner John have very generously allowed us to kip at their new pad for a few nights. This has been perfect to allow us to discover Auckland at a nice pace before we head off to Paihia and the Bay of Islands for a night on the Rock boat. Laura especially is looking forward to seeing dolphins that often frequent the boat!

In Auckland we have been up the sky tower to take in some panoramas of the city. Thankfully the weather has been lovely so the views were great. Asides from that we have walked along Mission Bay, been to Kelly Tarltons' (King and Gentoo penguins being the best part of this oceanarium) and visited some local craft markets. Tomorrow we may head to Rangitoto volcano for a small trek.

Toodleooo for now and rest assured that we are all in fine form!

Niall, Laura and ruff

Ruff arrives in Hong Kong!

Well we arrived in Hong Kong after a journey that went very smoothly! Hong Kong is a great city and a shopaholic's paradise - we canot believe the number of designer shops - Laura wishes she was a millionaire!

We are all struggling a bit with jet lag and humidity but are having a fantastic time. We have walked along the harbourside at night - drank cocktails on the 30th floor of a skyscraper and had a genuinely Chinese meal with espresso style tea. We have visited some lovely gardens on Hong Kong island. We have been to Lantau Island to see the largest outdoor Buddha in the world and Po Lin monastery! Today we went to the Jade Market and became very cultured with a trip to an Art Museum!

We still hope to hit the heights of Victoria Peak but the weather is just too cloudy at the moment. We are also planning to dine out at Jumbos floating restaurant. Our time in Hong Kong is coming to an end though and we will soon be hitting New Zealand where more blogs will follow!

All in all we really love Hong Kong - a fantastic cosmopolitan city.

Love to everyone!

Ruff (plus Laura & Niall)

P.S. Niall would like to mention that we ate in a restaurant called 'The Gaylord'

Ruff gets excited...

Hello everyone and welcome to Ruff's blog!

Ruff is getting very excited about his third major trip and his first to the southern hemisphere!!! In just three weeks he is setting out for Hong Kong and taking Laura and Niall with him! After a week in Hong Kong they will head to New Zealand for a serious three and a half month tour! Ruff loves walking, mountains and beaches so he can't wait! The tour will finish off with three weeks chilling on the Australian East Coast - (you can see from Ruff's photo that he enjoys chilling on the beach). Ruff would love all his friends to come but they don't fit in the suitcase so instead they will have to read about it on this blog which he has set up with the welcome assistance of Laura and Niall!

Enjoy! - We will! :-)

Laura, Niall & Ruff xxx