Haast Pass, Mt. Cook, and The New Zealand Experience

Our journey continued with the passage from Haast to Mt. Cook via Wanaka (from the West Coast through the Alps and into the central part of the S. Island) was outstanding. I grew up in the mountains and thus am used to seeing immaculate snow capped peaks, but never like this-- even I was astonished. Endless ranges of mountains freshly dusted with snow surrounded us as we traveled through the deep valleys and along cold crystal clear rivers during 8 consecutive hours of driving. We were belittled not only by the size of these mountains, but by their extravagance as each of them had a different combination of foilage, snow, and rock. We were drunk with happiness and nothing could have made a long drive easier.

(Haast Pass)

After leaving the coastline, the scenery changed but still retained its deep beauty. On Lindis pass, the connection between Wanaka and Twizel, we witnessed a floral landscape like none other. Being springtime here, many NZ wildflowers are in bloom and this area was dominated by alpine lupines. I've seen these in the states, but these were nothing like home. Not only were they gigantic in size, but they existed in all different hues of yellow, blue, purple, lavender, magenta, and white. The air was heavy with sweet fragrance as we photographed the endless colorful carpets of lupine. I was again in a dreamworld and frolicked in this interactive 3-D Monet painting. The pictures cannot describe the experience of seeing these infinite fields of lupines, I'd liken it to a place where the Easter bunny would live...under the willows next to the river in fields of colorful flowers.

(The Amazing Lupine Valley)

Our legendary drive terminated in the large valley of Twizel, home of the last battle scene of Lord of the Rings, Return of the King (Kingdom of Rohan). The next morning we drove to the base of Mt. Cook, the highest peak in NZ at around 3900 meters (~12,000 ft). This sharp faced tooth and the mountains around it were not suprisingly fused with glaciers and fresh snow, creating a true alpine feel.

We originally planned to hike the Mueller Track, one of NZ's great walks, but had to replan since the route had several snow avalanches due to the recent snowfall and current sunny conditions. Instead, we hiked up to Ball Pass alongside the Tasman glacier, the largest glacier in NZ at 28 km (17 mi.) long and 90 m deep (~300 ft). The glacier is rapidly receding and covered in rock, creating a landscape that looked like something from Mars: dark brown ice bergs floating in a chocolate colored lake. We spent the night nestled between our beloved mountain peaks in a small hut with three other new friends, people from Germany, Italy and the US.

(Mt. Cook and Lake Pukaki)

(Mt. Cook on far right, and surrounding mtns)

(Tasman Glacier, left, and home sweet home, Ball shelter, right)

I still cannot believe that one place on planet Earth can have so many naturally beautiful things. I often find it hard to accurately describe my feelings here without sounding trite and repetitive. Nevertheless, somehow I still find peace in communicating how moving these sights have been for me.

Because of the deep beauty and unspoiled nature of New Zealand, I have had some rich experiences. In several of them, the splendor of the surroundings has been so epic that time seemed to slow, and everything happened in slow motion, much like a dream. Surprisingly, in this dreamy trance, I have felt incredibly alive, alert, and inspired.

For me, this South Island is a dreamland. When you think it just can’t get any more spectacular, it does. You see a beautiful lake and mountain range and think what could be more beautiful. Then you turn around and there is a beautiful waterfall cutting through another mountain range behind you.

Nelson and an Introduction to the West Coast

While Doug and Olivia hiked the beautiful Queen Charlotte Track near Picton, I took the opportunity to visit the town of Nelson, located on Tasman Bay at the North end of the South Island. Nelson is a quaint town nestled in the mountains and bounded by the turquoise lapping waters of Tasman bay. I liked the lively vibrancy of this place as it had several art galleries, live music, funky gift shops, and lots of bars and cafés with outdoor seating. Once a town driven by a hippie art culture, it seems it has transitioned some toward affluent development and tourist attraction. The sudden influx of residents in the last few years has given me the impression that the population is growing too quickly for the size and infrastructure. However, this would be a great place to spend a summer working in a bar or art gallery and meeting lots of fun people, so I’ll keep that in mind.

An hour NW of Nelson, I hiked 10 km (6 miles) of the track in the beautiful Abel Tasman National park. I took in view after view of golden sandy beaches and bright turquoise waters along the way. The water is so clear here, and the bays are shallow, allowing you to see underwater rocks and land, making this a really magical place. Many people kayak along the shores here and hike back.

(Abel Tasman National Park, near Nelson)

A few nights later, I met up with Olivia and Doug again in Picton after their hike and we drove to the West Coast of the South Island. As soon as we reached the coastline, the large blue blanket of the Tasman Sea emerged. On one side of the road were beautiful rocky cliffs covered in tropical plants, and large, turbulent blue waves crashing on craggy rocks and beaches on the other. It was absolutely spectacular and like nothing I’ve ever seen before. Olivia and Doug liken it to the coast of the Big Island in Hawaii. We reached the small village of Punikaiki and I stayed in this incredible hostel buried in the rainforest, which has been my favorite hostel thus far. There were several lodges, each with their own bathrooms and kitchens hidden throughout the rainforest and connected by trails. It was an 8 minute walk to the beach, and I could hear the waves crashing all night. This is a place that stress just melts away, and time seems to chug along in slow motion within Zen-like aura. We could only stay one night, but I promised myself I will visit this place again before I leave NZ.

(Punikaiki and Te Nikau Retreat Hostel in the Rainforest)

Punikaiki is home to a famous place called the Pancake Rocks and Blowholes. This part of the coastline consists of sedimentary rocks that have been whittled away by wind and sea in such a way as to give the impression of several giant stacks of stone pancakes. There were also several places the ocean crashed against the rock and up through blowholes spraying several feet into the air. This was yet another unique sight belonging to this exquisite land.

The next day we headed further South down this incredible coast line to the twin glaciers Franz Josef and Fox. Maori legend says that these are the two frozen tears of a woman who lost her lover in the mountains due to a fatal fall. Not surprisingly in this temperate rainforest, the weather was cold and rainy and resembled a Seattle winter. Quite predictably, Doug and Olivia’s helicopter tour of Fox Glacier was cancelled. However, in lieu of the helicopter tour, we all went on a ½-day guided hike on to Fox Glacier. During our ascent, we learned a lot about glaciology and erosion from our guide, while still taking in incredible views of valleys and snow capped mountains*. Since it had been raining, there were also waterfalls everywhere! It was safe to fill up my water bottle with ice cold snow melt water from the nearest stream. Imagine the freshness of drinking ice cold mountain water from New Zealand!

This was my first time on top of a glacier and we hiked around it for an hour or so and even got to tramp through a few shallow crevasses. There were a few crevasses we saw that cut deep into the glacier exposing the smooth, dense blue ice**. It was like walking on something that was alive, hearing the sounds of cracking and the trickle of run-off. I really enjoyed being up on the glacier and in the NZ Alps; this was an incredible and inspiring experience.

(Fox Glacier)

Being around the sharp-toothed mountains and glaciers in the wilderness of New Zealand has brought forth some desires I’ve had all my life. I’ve been interested in learning more about glaciers and mountaineering, but never really had a chance to do so. Now I feel I have a great opportunity to do so, which is part of the reason I came to NZ: to explore and experience different things. I may try to get some work with that guide company and hopefully receive some avalanche and backcountry training-we’ll see what happens.

Thank you to all of you who left comments. I really love reading them and it helps me feel less lonely! I really do enjoy hearing your reactions and getting your support, so keep it up and I hope you enjoy the blog!

P.S. How are the pictures working out for everyone? Can you see them ok? Does the website load them ok? I have to use an outside picture host because of the way the computers work down here with blogger.

*Glaciers form when large amounts of snowfall accumulate on steep slopes causing extreme pressure underneath due to the weight of the snow. This initial snowfield, called the Nevé compresses the lower layers of snow and forces them down hill with incredible force, which is responsible for carving and shaping valleys into a U shape. In the process of moving down hill, the glacier grinds bedrock into fine dust which is taken away by run-off. This is what causes glacial streams and lakes to appear milky and colorful.

**The deep blue color of a glacier’s crevasses and caves is because the ice is compressed so much that its denseness traps the blue wavelengths of light.

Waitomo Caves and Goodbye to the North Island

At 7:30 am, after Navigating through Auckland’s morning traffic, I joined up with Olivia and Doug at the Auckland airport, a bit late. It was so great to see them, familiar faces after being away from home, friends and family for 5 weeks.

We immediately drove out of the bloody city and headed for the Waitomo Caves, near the center of the North Island. After they got settled in, we took an absolutely amazing tour of a glow worm cave. To gain access to the cave, we took a nice little bus ride through sheep pastures into a charming ravine. We took a short walk down to the mouth of the first cave and stopped to feed some freshwater eels living in the creek that was flowing into the cave. The guide submerged goat meat into the water, and soon five eels swam up the creek to get the food, it was crazy!

(Trip into the ravine)

(Feeding the eels)

(Mouth of the first cave)

The first cave was filled with NZ’s famous glow worms hanging from the ceiling. These are not actually worms, but the larvae stage of an insect. They live in silk hammocks and catch their food with sticky silk strands that hang beneath them. They attract bugs by glowing, which is light created by a biological chemical reaction.

(Glow worms)

Thousands of these worms covered the ceiling of the cave, and their bluish glow made it look like a three dimensional starry sky, it was so beautiful and like nothing I’ve ever seen! We jumped into a raft and floated on the under ground river to get even more spectacular views of these incredible creatures. Our group turned off all headlamps and flashlights to let our eyes adjust to the blackness. Even though we were on a river in an underground cave, we were able to see each other in the light created by these creatures. It was just incredible!

(Glow worms lined the ceiling of the cave like a 3D sky)

(Raft ride in cave and larvae close up (professional photos))

The next day we drove to Tongariro National Park, home of three active volcanoes: Mt. Ruapehu, Mt. Tongariro, and Mt. Ngauruhoe (aka Mt. Doom from Lord of the Rings). The drive was spectacular with views of green pastures in the foreground and jagged snow-covered peaks in the background. We stayed at Whakapapa Village, with a stunning view of Mt. Doom. The whole area, although desolate and brown, was still very beautiful in its own way. You could tell that the volcanic activity of the area has changed the whole ecosystem. The next day we planned to do one of the most famous hikes in New Zealand, the grueling 17km (10 mile) Tongariro Crossing. Unfortunately, I think some of the evil from Mt. Doom came out on me because that day on a small hike, on completely flat ground, I sprained my ankle! With the Tongariro Crossing the next day, there was no way I could make it, and opted to stay behind. Doug and Olivia ended up completing this trek the next day and said it was completely epic. The views of the volcanic landscape, the incredible winds, and the technical climbs and trails made this trail one of the hardest hikes, but it was well worth it. I’d wished I’d gotten to go. Instead, I did a short 1 hr hike and nursed my ankle.

(Road to Tongariro, Mt. Ruapehu)

(In front of Ruapehu, and Mt. Doom)

(Short and windy hike near Mt. Ruapehu

After Tongariro, we drove to Wellington and visited Rob and Debby and Bob and Shelly. We all had a great visit on a beautiful summer evening with, surprisingly, no wind! Since we were strapped for time a bit, we only made a quick stop in Te Papa Museum before saying good bye to the North Island and boarded the ferry for the South Island. So the moment we’ve all been talking about and waiting for is here: The beautiful South Island. With all the buildup and anticipation, this place almost seems like a dream, a utopia, a mecca. A place filled with magic and beauty that no one has ever talked bad about. We are finally going there.

The ferry ride was remarkable. It was really my first time on a ship in the open sea and I was awestruck by the power and size of the waves and the strength of the winds out there. It was scary being on the deck, but somehow the deck was enticing. It was a humbling experience to be out on the deck feeling the wind, tasting the ocean spray, braving the elements. Sometimes the ship would crush huge waves, sending a low rumble throughout the cabin. The ocean was a beautiful blue green, and the sounds surrounding Picton, our destination, were just gorgeous. It reminded me of the San Juan Islands, only much more mountainous. We’re in the cute and beautiful town of Picton now, the gateway to the South Island. Some say that New Zealand starts here.

(Picton Ferry to the South Island. Because of the geography, its actually an East to West trip instead of South)

Mt. Maunganui and The Coromandel Penninsula

Mt. Maunganui and Tauranga:

A beautiful place with a beautiful beach, but not much else going on. The locals seemed to be mostly high school punks with stereos and loud car mufflers. I still enjoyed myself by having a lazy day at the sandy beach and taking in the intense NZ sun (because of the ozone hole, it can be up to 20 times more intense!). I found this crazy backpacker place to stay in nearby Tauranga called the Apple Tree Cottage. The place was run by a friendly family but the place was pretty rustic-it was quite dirty and a little run down, but livable. The first night there I was startled awake at 4am by two belligerent Maori guys, drunk and reciting American rap songs. There were racial statements against whites and they kept saying this places was theirs. Apparently there is a lot of friction in this area still. Though non-violent and quite passive, I was still intimidated since I had just woken up and it was dark. I decided this was better left alone, but it lasted until 7am when they left. They were obviously drunk and just trying to get attention.

(Mt. Maunganui and the beach)

Coromandel Penninsula:

I made my way around the beautiful Coromandel Penninsula before I swung by Auckland to pick up my friends Olivia and Doug, on holiday from Seattle. The peninsula is filled with people that had enough of the city life in Auckland and traded in their apartments and cell phones for peaceful homes in communities full of arts and crafts. The place is very beautiful and has lots of water activities and tramping, but there does not seem to be many young people. There are a lot of older folks and couples on a romantic holiday. The roads here are incredibly twisty and the weather is balmy. You can only really drive about 30 mph, but it’s a great way to slow down and enjoy the coastal scenery with the windows down and the breeze in your hair.

(A beautiful deserted beach)


(The native bush surrounding the peninsula)

I went for a hike to a place called Cathedral Cove on the Northern end of the peninsula. The rugged limestone cliffs have been carved out over the years by the surf, creating several little coves and caves and an absolutely incredible beautiful coastline. These were some of the most beautiful beaches I’ve ever seen! The landscape looks somewhat like the Greek Islands and I felt that there could have been pirates in these waters long ago searching for buried treasure!

(Cathedreal Cove)



(Stingray Bay)

There is something incredibly wholesome and unspoiled about New Zealand. It seems so fertile, natural and free. Locals commonly go around bare-footed, I’ve adopted this notion too. It reminds me of being a kid again when I used to go barefoot all summer. When you visit tourist attractions here, there are just not as many people. It seems to make your experience much more private, memorable, and special.

Also, keep those comments coming! I love reading what all of you think of my posts! Note, this post should have been up a few days ago, but its kinda hard to find internet in some places here. I'll post more soon about my adventures with Doug and Olivia soon.

Rotorua

I had a very sociable time in Taupo, which is what I needed because I was starting to get pretty lonely and homesick. It definitely takes some time to get used to traveling like a backpacker, especially after having a stable life. It’s a skill that I think is good to have in life: learning how to be independent, finding your way around in a foreign country, and making friends with fellow travelers.

For the first part of my adventure down here, I was shy and intimidated at the hostels, but now I feel like I’m getting the hang of it and am able to enjoy myself and meet people very easily. Most people I’ve met are traveling alone and they are very outgoing and friendly. The hostels in NZ are generally clean, cost around $20/night, and are a great social gathering place. I’m enjoying being free: free of obligation, free of waking up for work, and free of the US rat race. I’m living my dream!

I’m now in Rotorua, which is the smelly, but lovely tourist capital of the North Island. The whole town of Rotorua smells of sulfur because of the large amounts of geothermal activity. I’ve never seen a place so volcanically active before! You walk down the streets and see steam escaping from between bricks on the sidewalk, hot pools in the town center, bubbling hot water in shafts covered by grates. It seems everywhere there is a geyser, spa or mud bath. There’s not shortage of hot water in Rotorua. This place is really unique!

(Lake Rotorua)

(A Maori village in Rotorua)

(Government gardens and Hot Springs)

On Monday I went to a thermal park called Wai-O-Tapu, 30 km South of Rotorua. This was a geothermal park filled with bubbling mud pots, geysers, boiling lakes filled with color created by different minerals, and lots of smells. Its neat too because its not just visually stimulating; You hear hissing and bubbling, smell the sulphur and gases, and feel the hot steam. The highlight in this park was a crater called Champagne Pool, which is the perfect name because the surface is bubbling up with golden colored bubbles which really look like Champange! The banks of this pool are vibrant orange and the water is turquoise. The pool is about 30m (90 ft) in diameter, and 30m (90ft) deep. The temperature on the surface is 75C (xxF) and up to 300C (xxxF) at the bottom! This park was really remarkable and was money will spent.

(Boiling Mud Pots)

(Artist's Palette)

(Devil's Bath)

(Champagne Pool)

Tuesday night a Kiwi guy showed me and a few people from the hostel this hot river called Kerosene Creek (because of the smell). It is off of the beaten path and not really known by tourists. It’s the perfect hot tub temperature and we all soaked our bones the natural way before bed…ahhh.

Rotorua has so much to do! I ended up staying 3 nights here instead of 2 and tomorrow I’m off to Mt. Maunganui near Tauranga in the Bay of Plenty - on the North coast and filled with sun and surfers, see ya there!