Welcome To The Tasman

Once upon a time a man by the name of Aebl Tasman discovered the northern tip of the south island but ran away as he was too scared to discover more. For this Honor he has had the Abel Tasman national park named after him and on the 19th of November we bravely went where Abel Tasman never reached and begun our exploration of the national park A.T-ing as we like to call it. Upon arriving at our hostel we dropped our bag and head straight for the beach. Apart from consistent smooth sand it has everything you could possibly want from a beach. Rocks to clime, room to chill and good clear waters to swim in. At first we stuck mainly to the rocks. At just the right size to climb over we made our way round the coast and tried to get to a small island. But our plans met a comeuppance when the water which from a far had looked passable was in fact quit a deep rivine with a distance just that little bit too far to jump. Frustrated we headed back to the beach and relaxed there for most of the day. In the evening the kiwi experience arrived, a tour busy with quite a reputation for mischief. But to our surprise our room mates were incredibly well mannered, easy to talk to and they didn't stay up all night drinking. The following day we took a water taxi deep into the national park to walk an 8hr section of the track. We were dropped at Tonga bay and steadily made our way up and down the hills that littered the coast line. The path itself stuck mainly to the shore line but at points veered more inland to give a lovely mix of forest and coastal views with some points providing both. One of the highlights of the walk was crossing the suspension bridge which dangled around 100ft above the raging waters on there way to the sea. But by far the most interesting discovery was what seemed to be a memorial to ships lost at sea. Each ship had had its name carved the rock of one remote bay that was only accessible at low tide. After completing the walk we waited at anchorage bay to be pick up. While waiting we discovered why people had such a dislike to sand fly, having not encountered them before it sound like they were just been a bit squeamish but those little chaps sure pack a good bite and are relentless in their numbers. Eventually we were saved from the onslaught of flys and went back to our hostel to find it deserted. Without the experience the place was empty. The following day we took the opportunity to go waking closer to home, however it seems the local council didn't have the same idea as no more than 10 meters out of the center of the village the footpaths all but disappear and on those wiggly windy roads it would be suicide to try walk them, especially with tour bus after tour bus trundling by. So instead we found a local park at the top of a cliff and spent most of the morning exploring that. After lunch it was time for a round of golf, but not golf as the chaps from the club house would know its. Opposite the hostel there was a small, but fun crazy golf course and as we had the place all to our selves we took the opportunity to pass the time with a few rounds. As this was our last full day in the A.T. and we got a 10% discount from the golf people we decided to eat out at a rather nice restaurant which looked our across the bay. The following day we still had a bit of time before the bus arrived to pick us up so we hired two kayaks of the morning and explored the coast line closer to home. firstly heading for split rock, apparently created when them Maori gods were fighting over the magical ball, one wanted it for the sea one for the forest and in the argument it was spilt and lost its powers so neither wanted it thus it was left between the forest and the sea. After our cultural lesson we braved the open waters and went round the bay a bit to discover some cool rock to explore and arch and our own private beach to chill on. Groovy baby. After living the dream we haded back, got ourselves and ice cream and chilled next to the sea waiting for the bus to, get us out of there!

You Dont Go South Of The River

queen charlotte sounds

After our 4 hour crossing we had arrived in the south island. taking the bus to Nelson we arrived at probably the nicest youth hostel we've been to so for complete with ping pong, darts and proper showers. As the sun was shining we decided to go for a stroll to see the local area, however this soon turned into a 3hr walk along the cost line to a rather lovely sandy beach then back into the valley taking in the views from a high point. So our 'stroll' defiantly achieved it purpose. The following day we visited Christ Church Cathedral, not to be confused with the cathedral in Christchurch especially as that ones seen better days. The church itself was quite interesting work had originally started in 1920something but due to argument with the design on weather it should be traditional or not it was finally finished in the 1960s and contained aspects of both old and new, so rather cool for a church. Next we made our way to founders park, going past one cool street. it had a furniture shop selling a sofa made for buffalo horns and furs, the a cafe by the name of Lambretta. Once at the park we discovered it was not what i was expecting. from the guide book we had believed we could get in free and go to the brewery and enjoy a tasting. but we couldn't. Instead we had to pay for both. but the park was kind of worth it containing country and western typed buildings with various displays and so forth. But the highlight of the trip was defiantly the beer tasting. Although I might have ended up in the gallows after. leaving the park we took the long way back to the hostel going via the Japaneses garden, free, excellent and they had some awesome features, zang. From here the path took us along an old railway line, so we took this opportunity to play on the track, it just had to be done. Eventually we made it safely back to the hostel and prepared for our adventure into the Abel Tasman.

beer tasting

Christ Church Cathedral

uh oh

ying and yang in japan

Picture This

a day in december



freezing cold weather



tongariro national park

thermal park pool

rainbow mountain

river of heat

apple tree house

wellington sunset

wellington by night

fierworks

Mr Cool

im go lick your hand

sun bear

wellington

groovey flower baby

not gay in any sence

cone head

cable car

wellington city lights

parliment

goodbye wellington

umbrella in a bin

on track

50ft fool



Rotorua

climbing the walls



highway to mordor



Back In The City

After spend a good few weeks gardening, farming and been in places roughly in the middle of know where we were back to life in the city for a few days. On the 15th we check into YHA Wellington and got our tourist caps on. As it was a good afternoon we took the chance to ride the cable car and enjoy a strole around the botanical gardens, the ride was like any other bus or tram ride, just up a really steep hill in a kind of cool old fashioned style cart. Once at the top we had grate views of the city below us and the harbour beyond that. From here we had a romantic strole round the gardens. Nar just jocking can you imagine. We climbed trees, played with sculptures and generally did boy things. After climbing enough trees for the day we took the cart back down and got ready to go out to Might Might, supposedly one groovy pub were beers served by the jug.I say supposedly as after searching long and hard for this pub it appeared to have vanished, so instead we went to the Macs brewery restaurant. This was a good second choice. It was a rather swanky building with some retro deco situated on the waters frond and as for the food well Aldeburgh better watch out as that was some fine fish and chips. Later we wonder around the beach, naturally the capital city has a beach, and watched the lights over the harbour and joggers struggling with the wind. The following day it was off to Parliament where we found an umbrella stuffed in a bin, guess that wind was just too much for someone. Not much to say about the buildings there just one old school imperial design beauty  next to one ugly looking art deco design named the beehive. Less said about that the better. So next we went to the Museum of Wellington, free which was a good start and it contain some kind of interesting exhibitions but over all it was quite empty so we didn't spend long there either.This day hadn't got off the the most enthralling start. But that was all about to change at Te Papa. Another museum but this time a lot more interesting with a vast range on Kiwi related exhibitions form it history, to the arts and from all kinds social aspect to more water based ones. So we spent quite a while here tacking in all it had to offer before ambling back to the hostel along the water front. The following day after seeing all Wellington had to offer we were out of there, getting the ferry at the unreasonable time of 7am. The crossing was plain cursing thanks to the relatively calm seas and with the sun shining it was a most enjoyable crossing with magnificent views of the Queen Charlotte Sounds

Thats Not A Tea Party

Although we might like to we can't spend all our days gaping at the wonders of a Meerkat so after our fun at the zoo it was back to work. But it wasn't all work and no play, oh no. Thanks to an increase in summertime weather we were able to go for a good old swim in Wellington harbour on the 11th. Although it doesn't sound that glamours, dogging cruse liners and container ships, its a rather big harbour so our end had non of that riffraff allowing us to go for a nice dip in the surprisingly warm clear waters, well warm compared to UK waters the locals still found it screamishly cold. Then on the 13 we were hosting a tea party, i know, how quaint. So we spent the afternoon making a few nibbles for this party and stocking up on a few essentials, however there seemed to be a lack of tea present but not to worry we carried on. Then our guest arrived and the tea part commenced however id have to say it wasn't what id call a tea part more a group of people sitting in the evening sun drink wine. But never mind it was still an enjoyable evening complete with pumpkin pie. The 14th was our last full day in Petone so we spent it at the cinema. This wasn't any old cinema though it was the petone lighthouse cinema club. The entrance was pretty standard just a few chairs and a bar but inside the main theater room was the nicest cinema iv ever been in. Chairs were full our sofas with the arms designed into table for one to place their drink of choice on, the walls were decorated with lush red curtains and there was leg room a plenty. Now the film of choice, the trip, a sort of documentary/film about Steve Coogan going on a trip around the north trying out some top restaurants, oh and did i mention the co-star was Rob Brydon, oh yes. So it was quite the humerus watch and a very enjoyable way to spend the afternoon. The following day we packed our bags and were kindly dropped outside the Wellington YHA to spend a few days in the city. Our stay in Petone had been a good one, we hadn't become as close to our host as the previous sight but we had been given a marvelous insight into Wellingtonian life and saw a side of the city we would not have know existed if not for Petone

Im Gone Lick Your...

You've got to love the zoo, no matter how old you are spending a day looking at animals laze around is some what entertaining. So after working a full day we were granted a rest day and decided to investigate Wellington Zoo. Getting the bus there it looked as if we had chosen the perfect day. The weather was gray to keep it sweet and the bus ride up was shared with a scattering of OAPs and a young mum taking the very young baby for a nice day at the zoo. However when we arrived there was a feeling that something was about to go very wrong. Making our way to a Tue (some bird) x-ray we noticed a lot of children of a certain age running around. It seemed a bit strange to have so many children and so few parents looking after them. Then it dawned on us, there were family's', it was the dreaded school trip. But not just one THREE, it was horrible, so we went and looked at Meerkats been fed to cheer us up, this worked, in my view and Daveys Meerkats beat all, even mass hordes of school children. However at the chimpanzee feeding we were reminded of just why school trips where so horrible when we were treated to a rendition a baby 'sung' (i use the term loosely) over the loud speaker by a tone death 9yr old boy then not to be out done one of his fellow class mates. I don't know who we got out of there alive. But we did. So after that ordeal we revived our spirits by feeding the giraffes. Don't worry it wasn't our tuna sandwiches (we had chips for lunch anyway) it was a pile of leave handed us to by one of the zoo staff at the feeding time. And after having my hand licked by one massive tong it was off to meet our first kiwis, of the flying kind. In a dark underground room we got to see some live kiwis, hold a dead one that was suspiciously warm and watch a one legged one been fed. After that it was time for our lunch and then off to see the tigers, not much to say about that looked tiger liked 4 legs, stripes and walked around a bit. But we did managed to somehow get to stroke a day old Chick while talking to the zoo keeper about native birds. After that it off to see the rather groovy, the too cool for school, sun bears be fed grass. There bears why you feeding the grass you crazy kiwis no wonder they don't come out to be fed. but don't worry the grass is for them to look for bugs to stimulate them and there given a proper meal each day. from what i could see though they'd had enough stimulating, not like the lions however. When we were over at that take they were given a bag to sniff which they seemed to really enjoy maybe that's the result of been fed twice a week (in summer) to mimic real life conditions, cats gone crazy on nip. Next it was off to see the cotton topped monkeys, but not before the giraffes showed us a sight no one wants to see. So I'm going to share it with you. Female giraffe had been at the bubbly again and had to relive herself, as one dose, so male giraffe decides 'I'm gone lick your piss' and proceeds to get himself a little afternoon snifter. Nice and to think i fed you guys earlier. Anyway i digress back to the monkeys, and rather cool ones at that the litter chaps were quite the sight to watch excitably running about the place. So we stayed and watched them scamper about the place as the zoo staff scamper around trying to catch a duck. This was all so much excitement we nearly forgot to see the pelican feeding time. But lucky it was next door to the monkeys and we managed to see the crazy pelican (those guys have massive eyes) get its fill of fish and do what i like to think of as the happy dance. But he might have just had a serious medical problem, whose to say. Anyway that was enough zoo action for the day and we made our way back into the city timing the bus to perfection then getting the train around the bay to our home away from home in Petone to recount our story's of kinky giraffes.

Gypse Brass And Gamelan

It was finally time to leave, we had been in Rotorua for 2 weeks and our time was up. The family had been so warm and welcoming to us and we were having such a good time there being one of the family; it was sad to say goodbye, but we didn't come to the other side of the world to hide out in the back end of nowhere so it was off to the capital we went. We got a lift into town with Steve and Hans, due to a lack of seat we had to ride in the back of the truck for 20min trip into town, which was a quirky send off gift, if that what you'd call it. The bus down was rather uneventful, as usual but we did go past the bottom of Mt Doom and eventually after a long days travailing arrived at our new host house and found out why wellingtons know as the windy city, that wind show dus blow. On the 4th we did our first days work and it was quite the contrast to our previous sight. were mainly backing and gardening in the back garden of a city suburb house for an older lady, who in no way let her age get in the way, of anything. On the 5th we explored the city going to Scopa a fancy Italian restaurant but after that it was time to party the night away. Judith (our host) took us to an eccentric BBQ pool party up in the hills overlooking wellington. For the fireworks we strolled down to the beach were we had our own mini firework display before watching the real deal across the harbour. But that wasn't enough for one evening, oh no. After this we headed back into the city to go to 'happy' and watch the Balkan brass explosion, a brass Gypsy band (don't worry i didn't take my wallet or jewelery) who were quite a lively act and Judith's grandson was on the trumpet. So after a feet tapping good time we finally headed for home and bed. But our house being a crazy kiwi doesn't seem to like sleep, so we were up at 8 and back to work, nothing too straineous though, just making a few goodies in the kitchen. so after a relaxed morning of backing i decided to do something a bit more energetic and went for a run around the local area. We are staying in Petone, which is right on the beach and bordered by a rather nice river, so it was a pretty scenic run, even had a bit of time to take in some golf. Monday was a rather mundane day until the evening that is. Our house is a member of a Gamelan music group and we had been invited to attend one of there practise sessions, so how could we say no. Based up at NZ university of music there was about 20 to 30 people there whacking instruments with hammers, apparently that how you play there instruments. and in my book anything you can play via hitting with a hammer is a good in my books. The music itself was rather good to. After watching for a while i was give my chance to shine as i was invited to play with them. I was rocking the Gamelan, even had a solo, but the others forgot to stop playing, but i don't want to seem like a glory hog so i let it go, probably better that way.

Were Going To Rainbow Mountain

Monday was another day off, as we had just work so well the previous week we had been granted a break, and the chance to go exploring. At first this was going to be a wee problem - not having a car and being in the middle of nowhere made it a bit tricky to see anything; but were two lucky lads and Caleb lent us his car for the day. We had been told by the family about the magical rainbow mountain and some cool hot springs so went to investigate. The sights were just a short drive away and made for a mornings entertainment. First to scale the Rainbow, supposedly a 3hr return. The walk started rather basic and flat taking us to a volcanic lake viewing point, which was nice. From there thing started to get a bit steep. The peak was only 738m but it got there rather quickly. In fact it took us around 35min from the lake to the top. Once on top of the rainbow we stopped to catch our breath and take a few snaps before strolling back down doing the hole trip in 1hr 30mins. It was then back into the car and over to the hot river. Due to the rive and under ground volcanic activity sharing the same spot a hot water ran through the valley. Pretty awesome ay. After crawling down the gravely track which seemed to also be a mass grave for pot holes we parked up and strolling through the trees we found this natural wonder and proceeded to enjoy it. We had a good amount of time till our old friends the Germans terned up and strutted there stuff in the river as well, so we saw this as our queue to leave. Once back home we put or feet up and got round to the serious business of trivial pursuit! A gripping game made even more interesting due to half the team not been fluent in the same language as the questions. But after a nail biting finish Davey came out victorious; the English had beaten the odds and dealt the Germans a crushing defeat (again). By the 1st we had run out of stuff to do but still had one rest day left, so we did the only thing one does in this situation. Abuse the pizza hut buffet. It was a pretty good deal apart from being now bottomless drinks you got pizza, salad (for some reason) AND chips along with desert. so we had a jolly good stuffing until our rhythm was interrupted by a school trip. Not sure how pizza hut qualify for a school trip but it does and so like a plague of locus they devoured every pizza insight; so we moved onto desert. Eventual we finished eating and when home to lie down and recover. Wednesday was our last day in Rotorua and we spent the morning doing a final bit of work. But once that was over it was time for a bit of fun with a rugby ball. The widest space to play was the paddock but sharing it was the animals and there excrement gave a new level of excitement to the game. After tiring ourselves dogging poo, we showered off and made our goodbye dish off pizza a chips before for relaxing infront of the T.V with the family for one last time.