I apologize for the long update, New Zealand has a lot to offer. If you don't like reading at least browse through all the pictures.
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Coming back from the trip was a shock. The minute I got home my roommate informed me of Osama bin ladens death and when I sat down to check my emails I was overwhelmed by messages about the tornado that hit Tuscaloosa. My sister is studying at the University of Alabama and was very lucky. There was only roof damage to her apartment. She is currently in Alabama helping clean up and working at an animal shelter. If anyone is willing to help or donate I can put you in touch with her and I'm sure she can point you in the right direction. Glad you're alright Booger!!!
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I feel like my New Zealand trip is somewhat pointless considering everything else that is going on but I took pictures and spent forever going through them so here's my trip.
Day One: Christchurch
My roommate Stefan and I decided to spend our easter break traveling budget style around the south island of New Zealand (NZ). I've always been fascinated by NZ and was excited to see if it was everything I made it out to be.
We flew into Christchurch, which recently was decimated by an earthquake. Our hostel for the night was on the outskirts of the city center (they just got running water a few weeks before we arrived) and we deiced to explore the city.
The actual city center was blocked off to the public by fences and military guards. The whole city had an erie feel too it. The city center felt like some sort of quarantine zone for a zombie outbreak. It's hard to describe what it felt like to be in such a large desolate city.
After our visit through town we felt an aftershock at the hostel, and again at the end of our trip. Apparently they're still a daily occurrence.
All the buildings had spray paint messages in front or on them describing their stability and safety.
The clock tower barely made it.
At the fence.
An empty city.
Desolate.
Flowers in memory, at the Bridge of Remembrance.
The new survived, the old.... not so much.
Day Two: To the west coast
On the second day we acquired our golden chariot. Our pride and joy. Our home for a week. SUZY!
I'm just going to show all our pictures of Suzy from our trip:
Suzy and Stefan. Best Friends.
Suzy at night. Her artsy side.
Suzy and the stars.
Suzy at lunch time.
Suzy at dinner time.
Suzy's junk in her trunk.
Suzy and Stefan dancing.
Suzy provides shelter for lunch.
Suzy provides shelter for sleep.
Anyway, we set off for the west coast from Christchurch. Making stops at Castle hill, which was used for lord of the rings and some other fantasy movies. We also drove through Arthur's pass, which is NZ's highest town. After a full day of getting used to shifting gears lefty we made it to the west coast and set up camp. The ocean came out of nowhere. One minute we were in the mountains, the next we were driving through rain forest and to the beach.
Day two was also our only day of cloudy weather. We didn't see a cloud in the sky for the rest of week!
O yea, Castle hill is also a huge climbing area.
Crazy rocks.
This is just asking for a movie set.
Our first view of the west coast.
Dinner. I'd like to mention that Stefan is a Vegetarian. I ate vegetarian for most of the week. Be proud of me. We actually ate really well. Fresh vegetables and homemade pastas for dinner, and awesome sandwiches with spread and veggies for lunch (the best I've ever ate on a road trip).
Day three: Tourism and Glaciers
On our way down the west coast we decided to stop at the ever popular Franz Joseph glacier and Fox glacier. I wish I hadn't. It might be a snobby thing for me to say, but these areas were such tourist traps. The hike to the glacier was approximately 20-30 minutes of non-stop tourist. I hated being part of it. A glacier in the wilderness is usually breathtaking and awe inspiring, and the accessibility of these two glaciers took away from it.
That being said, they were the closest glaciers to the coast in the world, and it was interesting to see rain forest vegetation so close to an alpine glacier.
We also did a relaxing hike around Lake Matheson and got our first views of Mt. Cook and Mt. Tasman.
Franz Joseph Glacier.
Fox Glacier with some strange forest vegetation in the foreground.
Mt. Cook and Mt. Tasman from Matheson lake.
On our drive to a campsite.
Day four: Jackson Bay and south we go
We continued our journey down the west coast and made a short stop for some lunch and a hike at a town called Jackson bay. It was about 50Km out of the way but worth it. Jackson bay was a small fishing village that usually has penguins (we didn't see any). And by small I mean a population of no more that 50 (and thats a very high estimate).
I'd also like to note that the south island has a population of about 1mil. About 400k live in Christchurch. On our whole drive down the west coast we definitely saw more sheep than people. The rumor is true.
View from our campsite in the morning.
Jackson bay, the land of no people and rusty tractors.
Hiking on the isolated coast of Jackson bay.
The number of sheep seen here are equivalent to the population of people on the south island.
uhhhhh.....no homo?
At the end of the day we made it to Wanaka. The biggest city we've seen in a few days. And probably my most favorite city. We enjoyed drinking a few beers by the lake and then found a campsite to prepare for our hike in Mt. Aspiring NP the next day.
Day Five: Mt. Aspiring NP
We set of from Wanaka for an exciting offroad journey with Suzy (gravel road / stream crossings). We drove through herds of sheep that were blocking the road to finally make it to our hike. We decided to do a hike in the West Matukituki Valley in Mt. Aspiring NP up to the Aspiring hut. The hike was very relaxed and flat. The valley was surrounded by some cool mountains and glaciers.
The Showdown.
Awesome blue river.
Hut.
Tree with the southern alps in the background.
More blue water.
Day Six: Queenstown and our journey to Mt. Cook Village.
No Pictures of Queenstown.
After our hike in Mt. Aspiring NP we spent the night in queenstown. I ate a double bacon burger at a place called Fergburger. It's world renowned, but all I cared about was eating something not vegetarian. I had to make up for a week of nothing but veggies.
The place was so good that we had burgers for breakfast. Don't judge.
Queenstown was cool, but very touristy and overloaded with "Extreme sport" adventure tours.
I preferred the town of wanaka.
After queenstown we left to drive to Mt. Cook village for another hike.
When we arrived we went to the Sir Edmund Hillary museum and chilled out at the foot steps of the mountains.
Sir Edmund Hillary museum.
Mt. Cook from the campsite.
Mt. Stefton from the campsite.
Day Seven: Mt. Cook
I could talk forever about how great this area is. It's very himilayan (not that I've been), but the mountains are steep, glaciated, huge, blah , blah, blah....
I love Mt. Cook. I will climb it one day. That is all that needs to be said.
We hiked up to Mueller hut and then up to Mt. Ollivier. The hike gave some great views of Mt. cook and the surrounding mountains, glaciers, and valleys.
At Mueller hut for lunch.
Directions in the Toilet at the Mueller hut.
Mt. Cook again.
The hut from Mt. Ollivier ... with the southern alps in the background.
Day eight: Back to the east.
This was our last day on the road. We left Mt. Cook village in the early morning and drove to Christchurch. We made some stops on the way for snacks, coffee, and anything else we could think of to prolong the trip. It was a short week and just a teaser of New Zealand.
I will be back to explore the mountains of New Zealand.
Leaving Mt. Cook :( :( :(
